B.B.C. (Governors)

HC Deb 20 October 1971 vol 823 cc710-1

24. Mr. Evelyn King

asked the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications for what period of time Governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation are normally invited to serve; on what date Sir Hugh Greene was appointed; how long he served; under what circumstances he resigned; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Chataway

The normal period is five years. Sir Hugh Greene was appointed on 1st July, 1969, and resigned as from 31st August, 1971, on his own initiative, on the ground that he was to become full-time Chairman of Greene King and Sons Limited.

Mr. King

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that the B.B.C. must be a forward-looking Corporation, sensitive to the climate of its time; that to appoint a former Director-General—however eminent—who must be concerned with decisions that he himself took ten years ago, formed an unfortunate precedent, and that my right hon. Friend had better not repeat it?

Mr. Chataway

It probably is not a precedent that many would want to follow in future. I think that that view would be shared by Sir Hugh Greene himself.

Mr. Heffer

When the right hon. Gentleman makes these appointments in future, will he make it clear that the people appointed must resist the pressures that are being applied by some of his hon. Friends, who do not want comment to be made by the B.B.C.? Is it not a scandal that the programme, "It's Saturday", which criticised last year's Tory conference, came off because of the type of pressures that were being exerted by some of his more reactionary friends?

Mr. Chataway

The Governors are not there only to resist pressures. They are there also to take account of feelings in the community outside. It is therefore right and proper that views should be expressed about the way the Governors are discharging their responsibilities and right and proper that they should take note of them.

Mr. Richard

I was a little concerned about what the right hon. Gentleman had to say about Sir Hugh Greene. Does not he agree that Sir Hugh was a remarkably successful and innovating Director-General; that his period at Broadcasting House was one of the most remarkable that the B.B.C. has known, and that whether one agrees with the precedent or not he is proving an extraordinarily valuable Governor?

Mr. Chataway

The hon. and learned Gentleman is not quite keeping up with events, because Sir Hugh is no longer a Governor. I pay tribute to Sir Hugh for the service that he gave to the B.B.C.